Cristiano Ronaldo embarked on a historic journey at the 2026 World Cup, becoming one of only a handful of players to feature in six tournaments. Yet, his record-equalling appearance was immediately overshadowed by a disappointing draw for Portugal and a performance that drew sharp criticism from pundits.

The 41-year-old superstar, included in Roberto Martinez’s 26-man Portugal squad for the North American showpiece, proudly displayed a special ‘legacy’ patch on his sleeve during Portugal’s opening match against DR Congo. Positioned just below the World Cup logo, the patch features the Portugal flag alongside the word ‘legacy’, a distinction reserved exclusively for players who have participated in five or more World Cup tournaments.

A distinguished club of six-time World Cup participants

Ronaldo’s World Cup career spans two decades, beginning in 2006 and continuing through:

• 2010
• 2014
• 2018
• 2022
• 2026

He is joined in this elite group by Argentina’s Lionel Messi, who also wore the patch in his nation’s opener against Algeria. Other distinguished players sporting the ‘legacy’ emblem include Japan’s Yūto Nagatomo, Germany captain Manuel Neuer, and Croatia star Luka Modric.

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Opening match struggles and mounting criticism

Despite the historic milestone, Ronaldo’s performance in Portugal’s 1-1 draw against DR Congo at Houston Stadium on Wednesday afternoon was far from his usual standard. Playing the full 90 minutes, the veteran forward failed to register a single shot on target and was unable to find the back of the net, extending his scoreless run in major tournaments to a concerning 10 consecutive matches.

The result, as reported by Goal.com, against a team Portugal were expected to comfortably beat, leaves the Euro 2016 champions with little room for error in Group K, especially given they entered the tournament as firm favorites. The focus quickly turned to Ronaldo’s individual display and manager Roberto Martinez’s decision to keep him on the pitch.

talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino was scathing in his assessment, suggesting time had finally caught up with the legendary forward. “I’m trying to be as kind as I can… but he [Ronaldo] was really off it. And he just looks like time has caught up with him. He hasn’t got the pace. He’s not even got the energy to pick up the ball. He offered nothing to the Portuguese team,” Cascarino stated, also questioning Martinez’s motives. “I can’t believe Martinez has kept him on. I’m thinking, ‘This is your job – does he just want to keep friends with Ronaldo? Do you want to stay on his side?'”

Former France international Thierry Henry, speaking on Fox, echoed concerns about Ronaldo’s play, specifically highlighting a second-half moment where his movement impacted a potential opportunity. “One thing that’s important, people, please at home, the team needs to score. Not you needs to score… Because he wants to score, he goes in the path of the back pass, you see both players, and it’s easier for you to defend. And that’s my thing: the team needs to score. Not you,” Henry explained, alluding to a perceived ‘selfishness’ in Ronaldo’s approach.

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With Portugal set to face Uzbekistan on Tuesday, June 23, the pressure is mounting on both Ronaldo and Martinez to deliver a decisive performance and reignite their World Cup campaign, in what is likely Ronaldo’s final shot at football’s ultimate prize.

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